While the days are still hot and muggy, it’s hard to think about winter, but with a little prep work now, your lawn will be ready for winter. The end of summer is the perfect time to lay the groundwork for a lush green lawn in the spring. We found these 6 easy tips from This Old House.

Mow Low
Cut the grass down to 1 to 1½ inches, making it easier to aerate and to judge how much compost to add. If your grass is more than 3 inches tall, take it down incrementally over a few mowings—no more than a third of the grass blade at a time—to avoid stressing the plants.

Aerate
On a day when the soil is moist, not soggy—the core aerator’s hollow tines can’t easily penetrate hard, dry ground—take a couple of passes around the lawn’s perimeter. This will provide a buffer zone for turning this heavy machine around as you run it back and forth over the rest of the lawn.

Top-Dress
Where grass is sparse, prepare for seeding by spreading a half-inch layer of aged compost. I hold a snow-shovelful in the crook of my arm, fling it off with my free hand, as shown, then work it in with a leaf rake. Be sure your compost is cured: dry, crumbly, and cool to the touch. If it’s hot and smells, it’s more likely to harbor pathogens and burn your lawn.

Fertilize
Distribute fertilizer and pelletized lime (if needed) using a rotary spreader. I use a high-phosphorus fertilizer to stimulate root growth; but you should let the soil test determine the best mix for your conditions. To keep the spreader from dumping too much fertilizer in one spot, open or close the hopper only when the spreader is in motion.

Overseed
Fill the spreader with seed, set its control to about two-thirds of the bag’s recommendation, to account for overlapping passes, and distribute the seed over the compost. As when fertilizing, keep the spreader in motion when opening or closing the hopper. For large areas, you can save time by renting a power overseeder, which slices the turf and drops in the seeds. It eliminates the need to rake in Step 6.

Rake and Water
Mix the seeds into the compost with a leaf rake held tines up, as shown. Water lightly—5 minutes at a time, two to three times a day—until the seeds sprout. Then water once a day for 15 to 30 minutes. Mow the lawn again when the existing grass reaches 3 inches; bag the clippings. After leaves have fallen, cut the grass back to 1½ inches for its long winter’s nap.

From our friends at This Old House, here are some helpful tips to prepare your lawn for fall and the changing weather.

BOLSTER A THIN LAWN
Rent a core aerator from the home center (about $90 per day) to remove plugs of soil from the lawn; run it over damaged sections to improve drainage and get oxygen and nutrients down to the roots. Rake a thin layer of compost into holes. Then sow seed a little heavier than usual and gently mix into the compost with the back of a rake. Water as directed on the seed bag.

DIVIDE AND MULTIPLY PERENNIALS
Uprooting plants and pulling them apart may sound cruel, but it actually rejuvenates them. Water well a day or two before digging all the way around a perennial, 6 inches from its base. After prying out the root ball, tease roots apart, leaving groupings of three to five shoots. Share extra bounty with friends.

SAVE SEEDS
Be sure to stay ahead of the birds. Snip off seed heads and let them dry for about a month on paper-lined sheet pans. Separate out the dried seeds and slide them into marked envelopes or jars. Now you’ve got a head start come spring.

More ColorPlease. Bring back the color in your garden by replanting a fall crop of annual flowers – Geraniums, Petunias or Zinnias in the full sun. Once temperatures really cool down, replace your warm season annuals with Pansies and Violas.

Play with Ornamental Grasses.These versatile plants provide four seasons of interest and are often at their best during the fall when their “plumes” appear. They are durable, low maintenance plants and are rarely affected by insects or diseases. Looks aren’t everything. Not only do they add distinction to the landscape, they also add aspects of motion and sound. The gentle waving motion of the grasses, and the accompanying sounds create a peaceful atmosphere.

Garden for Food. Cool-season vegetable seeds and seedlings can be planted. Try cabbage, lettuce, beets, turnips, spinach, radishes, collards and broccoli; be sure to water thoroughly after planting.

In the Home

Watch the Water. As the humidity decreases you may need to adjust your watering frequency. If the plants are wilting increase the watering. If you see yellow spots on the tips of the foliage reduce watering.

For the Lawn

Keep it Going: Continue to mow, edge and water as needed. The best time to mow is in the evening when the grass is dry and temperatures have cooled.

To Fertilize or Not Fertilize. Fescue should be fertilized towards the middle of September with Atlanta Turf Special 31-3-10 and Bermuda will benefit from a “winterizer” fertilizer applied six weeks before you estimate the first frost. Do Not fertilize Zoysia, Centipede or St. Augustine grasses.

Plant Fescue seed. Use 6 pounds of seed per 1000 square feet and mulch with wheat straw to hold soil moisture and protect the seed from birds.

Prevent Weeds: The middle of September is the time to apply a pre-emergent like Pike Crabgrass Preventer to Bermuda, Centipede and Zoysia lawns to prevent winter lawn weeds.

Colorful birds can be a welcoming sight to dull winter landscapes. Now is the time to start planning and planting to attract more birds this winter. Better Homes and Gardens magazine offers some great tips on attracting birds to your lawn this winter.

Birds love ornamental grasses and berries. Add ornamental grasses to your garden for multiseason color, texture, and food sources for a host of birds. Here’s some grasses birds love. Invite flocks to your backyard by planting fruit-bearing trees, shrubs, and groundcovers in your landscape. These berry producing plants do double duty– they attract and feed birds in the winter but they also add a nice sparkle and burst of color to your landscape.

You only have one chance to make a first impression and the same can be said for your home. Creating curb appeal is key for homeowners, buyers and sellers alike, local experts agree. If the house doesn’t pop from the road, then you can be out of luck. Below are some key tips to keep in mind. To read more tips, check out the full article here.

Landscaping is Key. Proper landscaping can add a finished touch to a new home.

Color Goes a Long Way. The color of the front door and gutters can make a big impact with just a little bit of work and effort. Sometimes a fresh coat of paint or a new color on the front door can improve things tremendously.

The Difference is in the Details. Just like decorating your living room, you may want to add a few bright decorative touches as focal points- like a birdbath, bird house, a stick-in-the-ground trellis, or a bench. Adding a new mailbox or replacing old light fixtures are another easy upgrade.

Don’t Forget Decks and Driveways. Through the years, mold and mildew can collect on surfaces outside the home. Getting these cleaned is a big boost to your home’s appearance.

Still need some specific help with boosting your home’s curb appeal? Upload your photos to the Kathy Lee and Hooda show on NBC’s Today Show by posting on their Facebook wall or tweeting them to @klgandhoda and real estate expert Barbara Corcoran will give you some tips to improve your home’s curb appeal.

Just because summer is drawing to a close, doesn’t mean it’s time to abandon your deck or patio. Fall can be the perfect time to do a little outdoor updating.

From refreshing to refinishing, these fab deck ideas show how to transform a dull deck into a sizzling space to gather, grill, and garden. Be inspired to dig into these smart deck updates and rethink your space this fall with Better Homes and Gardens Magazine’s 20 easy deck updates.

Pike Nurseries is always a helpful source of lawn and garden information. With the rainy summer we’ve had, what we thought we knew about gardening in the South has changed. We found this blog entry from Pike’s pretty helpful:

For so many years here in the southeast we have had a rain deficit. As gardeners, we’ve learned a lot about drought tolerant plants and methods for successful gardening using less water and using reclaimed water.

This year has painted a very different story for us. We’ve had an abundance of rain. Looking around this summer we see lots of green and lush foliage. We’ve observed vegetable leaves that appear larger than normal. Container gardens have thrived without needing to be watered daily.

The rain has been helpful in so many ways. But with this much rain there are some things that you need to be watchful for.

Rain leaches nutrients from the soil. If you notice bright yellow leaves appearing suddenly, or little to no growth on plants in the active growing phase, your plants might be deficient in Nitrogen. Flowering plants with no flowers could need more Phosphorous. If you notice slow growth and weak stems your plant might be lacking Potassium.

In each of these cases your plants will benefit from fertilizer. On a box of fertilizer you’ll notice 3 numbers. The first number represents Nitrogen, the second Phosphorous and the third Potassium. The number represents the percentage of each nutrient in the package. Choose a fertilizer that will best address the symptoms your plant is showing. For example, if you’re plant is not flowering well apply a fertilizer with the highest number in the ratio being the second number. Superbloom 12-55-6 is an example of this type of fertilizer.

Drainage can also be a problem with so much water. If you have a container garden with plants that have yellowing leaves, check the bottom and be sure that the drainage hole is not blocked. Raise the container with pot feet to allow for better drainage. In the garden if you have drainage problems, you might want to relocate plants, choose plants that are more tolerant of wet feet (wet roots), or dig the plants and plant them higher. Planting them higher on a berm will allow for better drainage.

Rain and the hot weather is the perfect climate for troublesome fungus and disease issues. If you see black spots on leaves, or gray or white mold you’ll need to apply a fungicide. Bonide’s Infuse will cure and prevent fungus on flowers, roses, trees, shrubs and your lawn.

Watch your tomatoes, the excess rain can cause them to split. To avoid this, harvest your tomatoes a day or two earlier than you normally would and let them ripen on your kitchen counter.

Finally, mulch your garden to keep weeds down (which also love the rain) and to help prevent erosion. Remember pine straw stays in place best on sloped areas.

Our gardens (and water bills) have benefited from all the rain this year and overall maintaining our plantings has been much easier. Keep in mind the few things that might be different this year because of the rain and you can keep your garden healthy and happy.

And, if you’re not sure what is wrong with your plant, cut a couple of samples and bring them in to us. We are here to help you diagnose your problems and give you a solution.

Whether you’re trying to boost your home’s curb appeal for resale value or you just can’t take driving up to the same old outdated, dingy, blah exterior anymore, improving your home’s exterior can make a big impact. Check out how these 21 Better Homes and Gardens magazine facades went from ordinary to unforgettable.

Bob Vila is the home improvement expert widely known as host of TV’s This Old House, Bob Vila’s Home Again, and Bob Vila. Today, Bob continues his mission to help people upgrade their homes and improve their lives with advice online at BobVila.com. Check out his tips for a dream driveway.

The driveway does more than lead your car from the garage to the curb and back again. Whether it’s a straight shot paved with asphalt or a curved course laid in brick, a visitor’s positive first impression of your home depends on smart driveway design.

Plan ahead

Unlike some other “curb appeal” elements — outdoor lighting, for instance — the driveway is a long-term investment that deserves careful consideration and thoughtful planning. Soil type, drainage and local climate must all be taken into account, no matter what type of driveway you plan to install — be it brick, gravel, pea stone or concrete pavers.

Maintenance matters

It may be tempting to choose a driveway material on the basis of aesthetics alone, or with your eye only on the price tag. But since you’ll be living with your decision for years, it’s wise to compare different materials’ maintenance requirements. For example, asphalt, poured concrete and concrete pavers must be resealed every couple of years to protect the driveway’s color and finish. The look of gravel driveways, by comparison, remains consistent over time, though every five years or so their stones must be replenished. My advice, in short: Before deciding on a driveway material, ask yourself how much effort — and how much money — you feel comfortable committing to its upkeep.

Pavers and permeability

More and more popular are paver driveways. These carry a relatively high upfront cost of installation, but maintenance demands and costs are relatively low. Composed of interlocking cement pavers, a driveway of this type typically performs better than asphalt or concrete under cold and wet conditions. Even if pavers shift, crack or chip, they’re easy and inexpensive to replace. But don’t count out asphalt and concrete, both of which have seen advancements in recent years. Nowadays you can get versions of these materials that are permeable and less vulnerable to cracking in areas with tough winters.

Stormwater management

No matter what material you choose, minimizing your driveway’s area and designing it thoughtfully can help control issues of pollution, erosion and flash flooding. Crown the surface and plant rain gardens in low areas to catch and filter water runoff. Avoid draining gutters into your driveway and to keep your basement dry, be sure to slope any paved areas away from the house.

Brick is beautiful but expensive, so many homeowners don’t consider it. Of all those mentioned here, however, a brick driveway is the option most likely to improve a home’s resale value. So when designing your new driveway, consider not only immediate factors — looks and cost — but also lasting concerns, such as maintenance, the environment and the question of when or if you’ll move.